Controllers: code instructions are non-committal at times.

[RyanMcEntire]

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• [X] I have thoroughly read and understand The Odin Project Contributing Guide
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Describe your suggestion

Throughout the Express learning module, it is difficult to tell the difference between code that is used as an example to show a concept, and code that you are supposed to add to your own app. The descriptions are not always decisive and clear. The lessons contain a high amount of passive voice

An example is the "creating custom errors" section.

Also, by the end of the lesson, it says we are supposed to have routes/userRoutes.js if we were following along.

Maybe i'm blind, but if the instructions are there, it doesn't seem like they were explicit. I went back to review previous lessons and couldn't find anything concrete.

The recap also shows us using the CustomNotFoundError() without showing where it was defined in the project. It doesn't appear in the recap for the page, and also doesn't appear in the diagram showing you what file structure you should be mimmicking at that time.

The original introduction of this custom error also doesn't explain where the author is putting it or where the reader should be putting it.

In the Views lesson as well, the reusable templates section carries a passive voice throughout all the code examples: "You may want to include..." "Say you have the following navbar component..." "You can insert this component into..." "This can be used to" "you can pass it when rendering index.ejs which contains the navbar..."

Then in the middle of a paragraph, suddenly switches to an imperative command "Modify app.js such that a links object is defined and passed..."

At this point i get confused and have to retrace my steps and figure out if I was supposed to be adding everything before or not. There's no clear indication for the reader that gives me confidence that "This is an example.", "Add this code to your project."

I would prefer if the instructions were more explicit.

Path

Node / JS

Lesson Url

https://www.theodinproject.com/lessons/nodejs-controllers https://www.theodinproject.com/lessons/nodejs-views#reusable-templates

(Optional) Discord Name

clowdy

(Optional) Additional Comments

No response